Vending-machine.



UNIT D sTAT s PATENT nron.

HERBERT ,E. ERWIN ANI) FRANKLIN A. BOWERS, on NEW BRIT I CONNECTICUT,

. ASSIGNORS 'ro THE NEW BRITAIN MACHINE COMPANY, on NEW BRITAIN, coN- NECTICUT, A- CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

VENDING-MACHINE.

ToaZZ whom'z't may concern:

' Be it known that we, HERBERT E.:E1VIN and FRANKLIN A. Bownns, citizens of the United States, residing atNew Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Con- 'necticut', have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to vending-machines, the object of the invention beingto provide an apparatus ofthis character lhaving simple and effective means by which the articlescan becaccurately discharged one at a 1 time 01'{ in other, desired order.

. In. the drawings accompanying and form ing part of the 7 present specification. we have shown, in detail one of the several convenient forms of embodimentof theinvention, which to enable ,thoseskilled in the art-to practise the same will be set forth fully. in-thefollowing description. e do not restrict OLlI'SGlVGSi to this disclosure; we may depart 1 therefrom in several respects within the scope of the invention defined the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure lis a .frontelevation with the-front of the easingremoved. Fig. 2 isanapproximatelyverticahcentral sectionof the machine,v looking toward the right in Fig. 1. Fig; 3 is apractically similar 'view, butlooking to- .ward the-left in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view correspondingsubstantially to Fig. 3 and showingzthe parts: in a difierentposition.

Fig. 5. is .a detail 'view of=the receivingchamber, the runway leading thereto, the hold-hack device and; the jogger or agitator. Fig. 6isa-detail view of check-controlled mechanism. y v .x Like characters refer-to "like parts throughout the-several figures. Y

The machine can-be used for vendingor delivering articlesgof various kinds,one illustration of which is+pencils,'--the discharge of which canlbe accomplished with or without. the.- useof coin or analogousdevice; in .the: organization shown there is checkcontrolled mechanism adapted to be.operated-. by a coin :ofcproper denomin ation,- for instance a nickel,;-to effect the dispensing'of anaarticlei when jdesired. Y I v c The differentparts of the machine may be inclosed; in: f l y; desirable casing, that shown for; this purpose.-beingaidenoted in a. general Specification of Letters Patent.

way by 2 and being in the form of a box of. sheet metal having a drop -down hinged door 3 at its front, usually held closed under lock and key, and by opening which access may be had touthe interior of the casing for the purpose of loading the machine and Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

. Application filed. July 14, 1914. Serial N 0. 850,924.

when coinsare used inconnection therewith,

for collecting said. coins.

Tithin the casingi and extending from one side to near the other side thereof,is a chute or runway ;as 4, shown as inclined, and which constitutes a .main or stationary support for the articles to bevend'ed. The saidv chute or runway at; itsupper. end has an upstanding .fl ange 5 fastened as byv one or more boltsto the adjacent wall ofthe cas ng Qinteriorly thereof, and at its lower end has a depending portion Ginwardlyflanged at 7- at its lower end, said fiange 7 being connected by one or, more bolts or otherwise to, thew-bottom :of .the casing 2 interiorly thereof. Thenpriglit portion or wall 6; is spaced or separated fromtheadjacent wall of the casing 2 and the-upper'portion of this space presents a chamber 8-,for

receiving the articles as they gravitate from the inclined chute or runway 4e Theabottom -of.said chamber consists in thepresent case of an article supporting and dispensing memberas '8 which is horizontallyreciprm cative-and which has an abutment such as the upstanding flange 9 at. its rear end.- In Fig. 3 the article supporting and deliveringmember -8 is'shown as. being iniits retracted-position and as supporting a-penciI, one: end of L which I is against the abutment or flange 9, the pencil'at such time being whollvwithinj the casing orboXing 2. On the advance of 1 said member 8 the pencil will be'carried thercwithand at a predetermined point, the forward end of said -pencil will be projected through a hole 10inthe door 3,-the diameter .of the: hole =being aretrifie jlargerthanathat ofthe pencil,;so that;=the

pencils choking at the entering end iofthe chamber or compartment. 8Q and for this purpose have shown the hQldba'ckorche king device w ch a hown consistent a Substantially urg-sh apedaandisomewhat .rie'sili:

ent plate attached at one terminal as by one or more bolts, to the interior of the casing 2 above the chamber orcompartment 8, the opposite or free end of the saidholdback or checking device 11 being practically'opposite the junction of the chute 4 and wall 6 and being separated therefrom a distance equal practically. to the diameter of a pencil so as to insure that the pencils will not crowd into the chamber or trough 8 but rather that they will pass positively thereinto one at a time. To facilitate free movement ofthe pencils thefree portion of the holdback or checking member 11 diverges atits free end away from the chute 4'to providea throatof progressively increasing size from its delivery to its entering end.

The pencils are laid in a group on the chute or runway 4 and to insuretheir free feed, we prefer for instance on each operation' of the machine to agitate or jogthem.

We find that from various causes, the tendency-of pencils and other articles is to stick but by agitating them slightly,-theirseparation will befpositively assured. Means of difierent kindsmay be" provided for thus jogging or agitating the pencils or other articles, although that shown and now to be describedhasbeen found satisfactory. Thefchute or: runway 4 is shown provided upon itsbottom near the high side thereof with thedepending brackets or hangers 12 to which'arepivoted the arms 13 connected by theweb 14, these arms 13 constituting suitable jogging or agitating-means for the pencils and the chuteor runway 4 having transverse slots for the passage of said jogging or agitating arms 13, which it will be understoodare practically of fiat or plate form. The two ar'msare' normallylocated below the chuteorrunway 4 but on theoperation of the machine as will hereinafter appear, said arms 13 are moved upward through the slots 15 and against the pencils, loosening them up and if they be attached, separating them, thus insuring their free 1 rolling or movement along the run-way or chute 4; I n The side walls of the casing 2 and the plate orwall6 support a manually-operable shaft as 16," this shaft being" preferably lockedegainst movementnormally by'suitable check-controlled meansand in the present case having means for operating the auxiliary support or article supporting and vending member 8 and for also operating the two jogging 13. Other means of a radically differentcliaracter could'be utilized instead of the described instrumentalities,ffor obtainingthe resultsset forth.

Loosely supported by'said "transverse rock shaft,-is the hub17 -of'thefcrankarm 18, said hub having projections 19 between which isd1sposed the pin- 20', rigid with the shaft, the two "projections 19 being placed thereof. l/Vhen said shaft'has advanced a certain distance the pin 20 will be carried 7 I against the projection 19 on the left injFig. 4 and will swing the crank arm 18 forward, thereby carrying the free end of saidcrank arm 18 against the web or connecting piece 14' of the agitating arms 13, lifting said-Web and hence the two arms. WVhile return movement of said agitating-arms 13 might be'obtained by "gravity, we prefer to usefor this purpose the spring 23 connected with the web 14, for such purpose. The article supporting and vending or ejecting member 8 also receives its motion from the crank arm 18. To'said crank arm is pivoted the forward end of the link24, the rear end of which is pivoted to the lever 25 between the ends thereof, said lever being fulcrumed at its lower end within the casing 2 and its upper end being operatively connected as by the pivot 26 with the article supporting and vending member 8. The pivot 26 projects through an arcuate slot 27 in the wall or flange 6, the arc of said slot being struck from the center of movement of said lever 25. The depending flange 8 of the part 8 has a longitudinally-extending guide slot 28 to receive the guide-pin 29 on said wall or partition 6, said flange 8 fitting fiatwise and shdingagainst said wall. Across the forward open end of the chamber or com partment S and situated therefore at ap proximately right angles to the line of movement of the articles as they are vended, is the barrier 30 which can be rigidly fastenedto the plate 6 and which positively prevents two pencils being simultaneously carried forward. Below this barrier 30 and extending diagonally o'r obliquely, [is the guard 31 partly in the path of the articles, and which prevents an instrumentbeing passed through the opening 10 topull out an article, without the intervention of a com. This guard 31 is resilient or yieldable andis pushed to one side by'a' pencil as the latter is advanced in the manner already described. f v I 1 Rigid with the shaft 16 inside the casing 2 is the plate or disk 32 having a peripheral notch 33 to receive .the tooth 34 of the pawl 35 pivoted between its ends within and t0 said casing, the tooth being normally held in the notch by the spring 36 connected tosaid pawl. Also rigidly maintained in the casing is the coin-chute 37, the entering end of which is opposite the coin slot 38 in the door 3, the discharge end of said chute being opposite the coin seat 39 on the arm 40 constituting a suitable coin support, and rigid with said shaft 16. A coin on being intro duced into the chute 37 through the slot 38, passes along said chute and is discharged from thence onto the seat 39 with its periphery in adjacence to the laterally-extending stud 41 on the pawl 35. Also rigid with the shaft 16 is the sector plate 41 to which one end of the pull spring 42 is connected, the purpose of said spring being to return the partsconnected with said shaft 16 to their initial positions. This spring also normally maintains the forward wall of the notch 33 against the tooth 34, said notch being of greater extent than the tooth, so as to permit a certain amount of relative or free movement between the coin support or carrier 40 and the pawl 35.

It will be assumed that a coin is upon the seat 39, it being understood that the arm 40 is between the sector plate 41 and the disk 32. Therefore, as the arm 22 is swung forward or toward the right in Fig. 2 the shaft 16 will be advanced as will the parts 32, 40 and 41, carrying the coin on the seat 39 against the stud or pin 50 and lifting the inner branch of the pawl 35 and hence the tooth 34 out of the notch 33, so that a complete forward movement of the shaft 16 can be accomplished and thereby through the described parts effect the advance of the element 8 sufliciently to project a pencil through the hole 10 in the door 3. After the operative end of the pawl 35 has been lifted, the coin drops from place into the tray 43 in the'casing 3 on the floor or bottom thereof. As the arm 22 is moved forward the spring 42 is stretched, so that the parts 41, 40 and 32 as well as the handle 22 will be returned to their original positions by the power of said spring 42 when the arm 22 is freed, and just before the original positions are reached, the tooth 34 is projected into the notch 33 by means of the spring 36. It will be clear that on the rocking of the shaft 16 the part 8 is first advanced and then retracted. The sector plate 41 has several peripheral teeth 44 cooperative with the detent 45 actuated by the spring 46, the detent 45 through its coaction with said teeth 44 preventing backward movement of the sector plate 41 and therefore of the parts movable therewith.

What we claim is:

1. A machine of the class described comprising a casing, a chute in said casing, a wall extending downward from the delivery end of said chute and spaced from the adjacent wall of the casing, an article supporting and delivering member mounted for back and forth movement in the space be tween said walls, a lever mounted on the inside of the first mentioned wall and operatively connected with said article supporting and delivering member, the first mentioned wall being slotted to provide for the passage of the connection between said lever and said member, and means for operating said lever to effect the advance of said member and thereby of an article supported thereby, the casing having an opening for the passage of the article thus advanced.

2; A machine of the class described comprising a casing, a chute in said casing, an article supporting and delivering member to receive the article from the chute, a manually operable rock shaft, a crank arm loose on said shaft and having projections, an arm rigid with said shaft and disposed between said projections, said last mentioned arm by engaging one of the projections being adapted to advance the crank arm, means for retracting said crank arm, an operative connection between said crank arm and the article supporting and delivering member, and an agitator for the articles on the chute located to be given an operative movement by said crank arm on the advance thereof.

In testimony whereof we affix our signaturesin presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT E. ERWIN. FRANKLIN A. BOWERS.

WVitnesses:

RoBT. S. BROWN, STANLEY R. EDDY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. v 

